This quote really struck a nerve! While we are not well-read on William James (and he was writing about God in the religious sense - we are not), but we see it this way: In any situation when you let go of low expectations, half-assed attempts, the fear of failing - you get the 'Gods'. To us this is not a literal god or gods, but we get the miraculous results, we get the breakthrough or the assistance we need.

This mindset is directly related to what you can enact with neuroplasticity. If you accept low results, if think you can manage daily headaches, or low performance, you're not asking your brain to do anything new. And YOU have to ask. Virtuous cycles of neuroplasticity only come 'online' when you demand them to.